Mavericks' glaring draft night mistake intensifies thanks to Summer League

The Dallas Mavericks automatically get an A+ draft grade for the 2025 NBA Draft, as they selected Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick and changed Mavs history forever, but there was one other draft night move that they should have considered on night two.

Dallas should have traded into the second round and drafted Tyrese Proctor out of Duke to team up with Flagg, and his most recent Summer League game proved exactly why.

In the first game of the afternoon at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Proctor finished with 35 points, four assists, and two steals for the Cleveland Cavaliers in an eight-point loss to the Sacramento Kings. Proctor was unstoppable for the Cavaliers from the opening tip to the final buzzer, and the Mavericks definitely could have used him as one of their stopgap guards to hold down the fort until Kyrie Irving returns from his ACL tear.

Proctor shows why Mavericks should've drafted him with 35-point game

This isn't to say that Ryan Nembhard won't be outstanding for the Mavs, as he has had an excellent Summer League so far and seems to have all of the intangibles to succeed at the NBA level (while also not costing any assets as Dallas signed him to a two-way deal in undrafted free agency), but Proctor would have been a great prospect to consider as well.

Against the Kings, Proctor dominated, and he couldn't be stopped, especially in the first half and fourth quarter. In the first half, Proctor finished with 15 points, and he got the Cavs started early. He scored the first five points of the game with two free throws and a three, and continued to put on a show for the rest of the game.

Proctor was getting to the free throw line (shot 9-9), attacking the basket and making some tough finishes with his off hand, and draining some deep threes. He showed fans in attendance his complete game, as he was scoring at all three levels and finished with 15 points in the fourth quarter alone, but it wasn't enough to get Cleveland the win.

This show-stopping game from Proctor showed Mavs fans exactly what they could have gotten if Dallas had selected him, and their regret for not trading back into the draft may have grown over the course of Summer League. Before the draft began, Dallas was initially interested in acquiring an additional pick to draft a guard, and while they never pulled the trigger on such a move, they definitely considered it, as Nico Harrison is always looking for different ways to make his squad better, especially through the draft.

Proctor would have been a great choice for Dallas, as they badly need more playmaking, shooting, and defense, especially in their backcourt, and Proctor would have brought all of those things off the bench. Standing at 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-7 wingspan, Proctor would have been an excellent connector for Dallas while Irving recovers from his injury, and his versatility and size would have made him someone who can play next to Irving as well once he returns.

Proctor's 35-point performance against the Kings proved just how unstoppable he can be when he is in his bag, and the Cavs found themselves a gem. Cleveland was truly a great match for him, as he will get to learn from players like Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Lonzo Ball, and they will likely be one of the powerhouses in the East once again next season.

Mavericks fans will always wonder what it would have been like if they had traded back into the draft and selected Proctor to form a deadly duo with Flagg, and their desire for him to be a Maverick likely increased after he had one of the best games at Summer League so far. It remains unknown what it would have cost the Mavs to acquire a second-round pick, and even though Proctor's potential fit would have been undeniable in Dallas, the Mavericks found themselves a diamond in the rough with Nembhard as well.